Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-12-02
4 Japanese Execution.

AS each man stepped from the path on
to the blateau his eyes were firmly band
aged with white paper, the only act OF
mercy | saw vouchsafed that morning.
Finally they were ranged in line, the
two cripples huddled on the ground,
their poor heads as they dropped from
shoulder TO shoulder being roughly
buffeted to proper angle by the police
men in charge.
This accomplished, amid silence so
absolute that we could almost hear our
hearts beat, the great man on the camp
stool rose. and unfolding large docu'
ment. read in a loud voice what we sup
posed 10 be description Of the crimes
for which the poor fellows were to sufer
and the process of condemnation ana
sentence. This was very long busi-
ness. and before il had nearly finished
the native spectators were laughing ana
ioking upon the appearance Of the
doomed men with that callousncss to
human suffering which so much black
ems the otherwise amiabe and pleasing
character of the japanese people.
At last it was finished. As there were
but five holes for seven prisoners, two
would be obliged to remain in blind
agony while their companions were be-
ing dispatched. Five men were ac-
cordingly thrust forward with the slaves
and fists of the police; each man was
made to squat on a mound, his clothes
if filthy, tattered rags could be called
clothes-stripped from his shoulders,
his hands tied behind his back and his
head pushed forward over the hole.
Our feelings at this awful moment can
better be imagined than described, hut
think we felt quite as much pity for
the two poor wretches left alone to lis
ten to what was going on, without that
artifcia! aid to fortitude which the sight
Of a crowd sometimes gives, rs for their
companions on their death seals. I'm
doubtedly execution by the trenchSnt
japanese sword Is aS merciful death as
can be desired; bu. the Oriental ma
ture, as If to compensate for this erring
on the side Of mercy, counterbalances 1t
by An undue prolonga,ion of the prepa-
ratons for death. which Is worse than
hun ired deaths. So in this ease.
As the poor fellows knelt over their
holes the executioncr slowly aud delib-
eraIely took off his coat aud barred his
arms. Then he took from its silk cas-
ing the fatal sword, examined IL fondly
and iingeringly from the Gasuri me, or
filing on the hlt to keep the grasp from
slipping, along the kimmon or the
groove in the blade. to the point; held
II over pail while coolie trickled
water down II, and with great deal Of
settling Of bis feet was ready. | felt
sick anG giddy, but kept my eyes on
the scene. At sign from the official
On the camp stool the cxecutioner raised
his sword slightly, hardly halt dozen
inches, and almost before | could realize
it the mans head was hanging over the
hole by a single ligamcnt and the blood
was gushing forth in torrents.
then saw why the eXecutioner had
not completely severed the head; and
the wonderful skill Of the japanese
swordsmen, using, as they do, the most
perfect weapons in the world, can be
imagined in so arranging tie force OF
the blow that absolute decapitation does
not take place. He tore the head of and
held it toward the four sides Of the
square then he gave it to a coolie, who
roughly plastered the severed portion
with clay and stuck it on kind Of ele-
vated shelf. In the meanwhile two
coolies were humping on the back OF
the PROSTATE body to hasten the rush OF
blood, after which one of the coarse
mats was thrown over il and it was laid
aside.
had seen enough, and | turned my
head away as the eXecutiOner, after
wiping his blade with paper, approached
the second poor wretch.-COr. Gentle